While not as inspired as the excellent TV adaptation, "Happy!" is still a good yarn about a rough ex-cop turned hitman recruited by a child's imaginary friend to save her from a psychotic Santa Claus, all told with great drawings and an exciting plot. ( )

Despite hinging on a thin plot device of an imaginary friend, I didn't think this one was too bad. Which is interesting, because I was reading it in the comic shop where I work, and several customers and staff came up, asked what I was reading, and—to a man—every single one of them had the same reaction. They'd wrinkle their nose up, squint their eyes a bit, and say, "it's okaaaaay. Not great. But okaaaaay."

Also, no one seemed to like the televised version, which I haven't seen.

Anyway, the art is...well...it's Darick Robertson. You get what you get. Personally, I love him, but I know some don't.

And, having never read anything by Grant Morrison aside from [b:Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth|22374|Batman Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth|Grant Morrison|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388209338l/22374._SY75_.jpg|1807553], I can't say if this was a typical style for him or not. Near as I can tell, he was doing his best Garth Ennis here.

As for the entire story, it had me a touch confused at the beginning, hinged on a couple of highly improbable coincidences, but overall, was fun. ( )

The kernal of a great idea resides here - that kernal germinated into the TV programme of the same name, which I watched before reading this. In that medium there was enough time to develop the ideas, characters and plot into a compelling story - one with a sense of humour not likely to appeal to all - but unique, original and insane. Here, everything is too compressed - no room to breathe. It needed a longer run, in other words. ( )

Well, I can sort of see the juxtaposition Morrison is going for with things filled with hope like Christmas, Santa Claus and imaginary friends being contrasted with the grim, hopeless reality of sex and violence and pedophilia. I just can't say it does much for me. I still might try the TV show though. ( )

This was pretty good ( )